Grade Level(s):
- 6-8
- 9-12
- College
Source:
- ENSI
Resource type:
- classroom activity
Discipline:
- Life Science
Time: one class period
Overview
Students are taken on an imaginary fossil hunt and form hypotheses about the identity of the creature they discover. Students revise their hypotheses as new evidence is found.
- [What is science?: Grades 6-8] Scientists strive to test their ideas with evidence from the natural world; a hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7, NOS2)
- [What is science?: Grades 6-8] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as new ideas surface and new evidence is discovered. (P6, NOS3)
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Scientists strive to test their ideas with evidence from the natural world; a hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7, NOS2)
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as new ideas surface and new evidence is discovered. (P4, P6, NOS3)
- [What is science?: Grades 13-16] Scientists strive to test their ideas with evidence from the natural world; a hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing.
- [What is science?: Grades 13-16] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as new ideas surface and new evidence is discovered.
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] The process of science involves observation, exploration, testing, communication, and application.
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] Scientists test their ideas by predicting what they would expect to observe if their idea were true and then seeing if that prediction is correct. (P4, P6)
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] Scientists often try to generate multiple explanations for what they observe. (P7)
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] Different scientists may interpret the same data in different ways. (P7)
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] The process of science involves observation, exploration, testing, communication, and application.
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists test their ideas (hypotheses and theories) by figuring out what expectations are generated by an idea and making observations to find out whether those expectations are borne out. (P4, P6)
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists often try to generate multiple explanations for what they observe. (P7)
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Different scientists may interpret the same data in different ways. (P7)
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] The process of science involves observation, exploration, testing, communication, and application.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Scientists test their ideas (hypotheses and theories) by figuring out what expectations are generated by an idea and making observations to find out whether those expectations are borne out.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] All scientific tests involve making assumptions, but these assumptions can be independently tested, increasing our confidence in our test results.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Scientists often try to generate multiple explanations for what they observe.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Different scientists may interpret the same data in different ways; data interpretation can be influenced by a scientist's assumptions, biases, and background.
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 6-8] Hypotheses are potential explanations for what we observe in the natural world. (P6)
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 6-8] Hypotheses are usually inspired and informed by previous research and/or observations. They are not guesses. (P6)
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 9-12] Hypotheses are proposed explanations for a narrow set of phenomena. (P6)
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 9-12] Hypotheses are usually inspired and informed by previous research and/or observations. They are not guesses. (P6)
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 13-16] Hypotheses are usually inspired and informed by previous research and/or observations. They are not guesses.
- [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists usually work collaboratively. (NOS7)
- [The social side of science: Grades 13-16] Scientists usually work collaboratively.
- NOS Matrix understanding category 2. Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence.
- NOS Matrix understanding category 3. Scientific knowledge is open to revision in light of new evidence.
- NOS Matrix understanding category 7. Science is a human endeavor.
- Science and Engineering Practice 2. Developing and using models
- Science and Engineering Practice 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
- Science and Engineering Practice 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
- Science and Engineering Practice 7. Engaging in argument from evidence
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